The Price of Freedom
by Mako-chan
Summary: Promising a courtesan her freedom was the biggest mistake of his life. Xiaoyin.AU.OOC.
1. The Peony Pavilion

**The Price of Freedom**

**Chapter 1: The Peony Pavilion**

A soft, exasperated sigh came from her lips. Another day was passing by idly before her very eyes. She watched with envy as white, puffy clouds sailed smoothly in the azure sky. How she wished to be free, to run like the wind and see the clouds while lying on a patch of fragrant flowers. Oh how she tired to see the world from her insignificant windows.

"Xiaoyu, Mr. Fan has come to pay you a call."

_Creature from the netherworld,_ she absently thought. Not really wanting to deal with the problem of an overzealous and irritating would-be patron, Xiaoyu slumped more deeply in her seat by the window and leaned against the windowpane with awful flourish. "You can tell him that I am ill."

Hearing her friend's words, Pei-pei didn't know if Xiaoyu was being not persuasive or being actually persuasive. "You could at least feign cough," she said smartly.

"Even if he was the last man on earth, Pei-pei, I wouldn't even pour him his drink. He can shove everything down his throat for all I care," Xiaoyu declared with clear defiance.

"You surely don't mean that!" Pei-pei exclaimed with dramatic mockery, then sobered. "Could you at least try and entertain some other patron? I mean, there is always someone willing to offer for you. Some haven't even seen a glimpse of you but they're already laying the world at your feet! At least that ought to get rid of that old, greasy Mr. Fan. If you would only give me a sickle and shovel, it would be my honor to bury him alive for you, but you're really aren't doing anything about your problem."

Struck by the truth in Pei-pei's words, Xiaoyu looked at her friend in earnest then answered, "I know. I am at fault, but how will another patron be any different from Mr. Fan? They can give all but the one thing I want."

Pei-pei looked at Xiaoyu with a mixture of concern and annoyance, as if every conversation they had took the exact same turn. She tugged a bit of her hair to contain her irritation. "Everybody here wishes for the same thing, Xiao...but you know as well as I do that living freely is beyond a courtesan's reach. We can only hope to be bought out, so that we will never have to pay debts again and live a comfortable life."

Xiaoyu clenched her fists in anger. _That's not true. I'll free myself of this hopeless place._ "A slave of many, a slave of one...a slave is still a slave."

Pei-pei no longer wanted to continue what was beginning to become an argument. She looked at her obstinate friend with sad eyes and quietly said, "I'll tell Mr. Fan that you have taken to bed." With this, she quietly exited the room, leaving Xiaoyu to her own thoughts again.

No doubt, the most sought-after courtesan of the Peony Pavilion will be severely punished for slighting - yet again - a candidate patron's call.

-----

"Master Jin, we have arrived."

Young Jin Kazama straightened in his seat. He loosened his tie and took off his coat. Absent-mindedly, he raked a hand through his thick, dark hair.

Conducting business here and there made Jin Kazama naturally weary and deprived of rest and recreation. He was a vibrant man who worked hard and equally played hard. He lived for the thrill and cunning that went into business ventures, and loved reaping the great rewards. Years have honed him into a man more accomplished than his father and grandfather. Whereas his predecessors established the makings of a great organization, Jin had turned into a total empire. He earned as much as he spent, traveling around the world and getting only the best, which included the choice of female companions. Of all the recreational activities available to him, this was the one he liked best.

A sudden call from a prospective partner had him going on a trip to another country. Thoroughly impressed the economy's rapid progress, he quickly decided to close a deal with counterparts which involved Research and Development in a number of fields, ranging from agriculture to robotics. A venture of such proportion undoubtedly meant a lavish celebration, which included wine and women. Upon recommendation, he decided to pay the famous Peony Pavilion a visit.

When his car came to a stop, Jin got off and surveyed the expanse of the Pavilion. It was indeed a massive place, at least for one that houses courtesans and apprentices. It had been built traditionally, and was located faraway from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Peony Pavilion was surrounded with lush foliage, and even bragged of breathtaking gardens and a bamboo forest. It was, altogether, serene and beautiful. And that day, the Pavilion and all its girls belonged to him, and he was free to choose whoever he wanted to bed...

...Except for the one he, by rules of the house, could never get a glimpse of.

-----

_I don't know what drives and/or stops me from writing. It's a real mystery to me, and I have obviously put my love for it to sleep. It's been a while since I last wrote something (well actually, continued), and a fair amount of self-regurgitating, pestering ideas (really, like fungi that never go away) and a sense of obligation has spurred me into writing again. I hope that this time around, NOTHING gets lost ("powers that be," want me to type that again?) and whoever gives this story a try will like it. And I have every intention o__ｆ_ _finishing it. If I lag, you could hunt me down and throttle me. Be my guest._

_I don't own Jin or Xiaoyu. If I did, would I actually be this desperate to write a story about them? _


	2. The Guest

**Chapter 2: The Guest**

"Xiaoyu..." Pei-pei struggled to say some words to her friend. "Must you be so stubborn? I tried my very best to cover up for you, but you just had to spite Madam Yi. She's so angry that she refuses to even give you a single morsel of food or let you out of your room!"

Xiaoyu waved her hand dismissively, as if she were totally unaffected by the whole situation. "It's not like she lets us eat THAT much," she replied, "I can eat a whole meadow of grass and not be sorry for it. She trumps me as if I were some trophy - her personal cash cow - then tells me now that I am a shame to the name of this blasted establishment. And it's not like I'm absolutely dying to throw myself at some filthy rich patron. I don't care, and I'm sure I shall not be missed in that party. I'd rather stare at the wall. So Pei-pei, I suggest you finish your primping." It was her way of saying that she wanted to be left alone.

Xiaoyu had lived in the Peony Pavilion for as long as she could remember. She was trained in the arts, and although she didn't particularly like the occupation that fate had so cruelly thrust into her way, she loved learning and made the most out of it, which turned her into the Pavilion's most prized courtesan. She even thought at one point, that her impressive aptitude for learning would be enough to free her from the confines of her profession. But as she continued to blossom, the more she found herself trapped in a cage…and she was determined to break it.

Countless sponsors have offered for her since her debut. Young, old, rich, fast sinking in the depths of poverty, all of these men offered for Xiaoyu, but she would not entertain even a single one – no one went beyond two nights of drinking and entertainment. Because of this, her popularity unavoidably coupled with notoriety. Men who had been coldly rejected (and with suffice reason), in the act of nursing their battered egos, scorned her with extraordinary gusto that it bordered on inappropriate, ungentlemanly behavior. "Buying her would have been like buying a sack of ice for an exorbitant price," a rejected sponsor once groused.

According to the people around her, Xiaoyu was rebellious and incorrigible at worst, and self-absorbed and difficult at best. A running joke on her (which she perfectly knew about) amongst the Pavilion girls was her hobby of "imprisonment." It was true to a fault, for she did lock herself up to stare at the outside world almost endlessly. Other times, she had a book or two in her hand, and would only come out to request one of the wards to buy her something new to read. This sharpened her mind and inevitably put a distance between her and her fellow courtesans, who took distinct pleasure in decorating themselves and beguiling any customer willing to throw insignificant gifts in their way. And to them, it was Xiaoyu who was the arrogant one. They took their own bitterness and ineptitude as a deliberate attempt at humiliation on her part, and the mere mention of her name caused their faces to turn frightfully sour and green with envy.

It was a real wonder though, for Xiaoyu's infamy and seemingly rebellious ways far outweighed her merits, which would have made it extremely easy to cast her out of the house.

Giving another mighty sigh, Xiaoyu rested her chin on the windowsill and let her hands dangle outside her windows. She tilted her head to the side, and watched with slight amusement as a convoy of slick black vehicles came to a halt in the Pavilion's driveway. _Now who could it be this time? _she mused. _An assemblyman?_ _A local mayor?_

Xiaoyu was starting to play a guessing game all by herself when a man came out of the car with a lazy yet precise movement, followed by people she presumed as his assistant and sentries. She stared at the patron with a mixture of surprise and interest, as she did not expect him to be so young. Even from a distance, he exuded an undeniable presence. _Oh, they will have a field day with this one,_ Xiaoyu thought, and then gave a loud, unladylike snort before turning away from the window. Occupying herself with other things, she untied the cloth that contained the books she had requested for one of the wards to buy.

-----

"Master Jin, you must try this. It is absolutely exquisite."

"Oh is it?" Jin asked with a lazy, teasing drawl in his voice.

"Yes. I can guarantee you that it is," Mei replied, staring at Jin without as much as a pretense of reserve, admiring – worshipping – him openly.

"Then show me, sweet." With sensual movement, Jin took the plump fruit from Mei's hands and proceeded to feed her. He watched her with dark, glazed eyes as she daintily chewed the bit of fruit. Before she could swallow, he lunged towards her and kissed her, his tongue diving inside her to suck her tongue and what was left of the food out of her. When he finally pulled away, he watched in satisfaction as the courtesan blushed all over. "Absolutely exquisite," he breathed.

Finally breaking, Mei flung herself at Jin, causing both of them to topple on the floor. "Oh please, take me with you. I am yours forever!"

He clasped her hand to his chest and managed to hold her as he leaned on the wall. "Yes sweet, I know. I'll do anything and everything it takes for you to be mine. Do you promise to give all of yourself to me?"

-----

Utterly famished, Xiaoyu came out of imposed confinement to sneak in a bowl or two of food inside her room. It was quite a daunting task, considering she had to pass through the corridors where the party was being held. Much to her relief though, she found that the girls had already taken most of the customers to their respective suites, which made her mission easier to accomplish. She was about to saunter off quietly in the dimly lit corridors when she heard a sudden shuffling of feet, followed by a crash.

Someone was still in the party hall.

Xiaoyu usually paid no heed to compromising situations; and even went great lengths in order to mask her huge distaste for them. She worked in the Peony Pavilion after all, and a deal of debauchery here and there was not supposed to be unusual. But considering the circumstances, she would be unable to pass casually unless she had the desire to be seen by a prospective whistle-blower, not to mention receive a weightier punishment from Madam Yi.

She went still for a moment, and then concealed herself, leaning against the wall. Her proximity and timing, however, had ironically afforded her the rather obnoxious opportunity of overhearing a flirtatious banter between a horribly foxed Mei and her victim...

_"Oh please, take me with you. I am yours forever!"_

_"Yes sweet, I know. I'll do anything and everything it takes for you to be mine. Do you promise to give all of yourself to me?"_

_"Yes! Yes!"_

When Xiaoyu poked her head out a little, she was surprised to see the man from the afternoon. With disbelieving eyes, she listened and watched as he effortlessly tricked poor Mei into thinking that he would buy her out of the Pavilion and make her his wife. She saw with such inexplicable expertise the ruse he had set up to get her to warm his bed, not that he actually had to go that far, let alone try. If he, at that moment, came around to ask Mei to jump inside a den of hungry tigers, she would have done so with a grand gesture.

_What a fool! _Xiaoyu wanted to shout. The sheer ridiculousness of the scene made her more than eager to throw a mortar on Mei's head, since it was easy for anyone to see that the man was being untruthful…and for a second she honestly thought Mei was out to tie a leash on him.

Witnessing what she considered as an astounding display of theatrics, she mindlessly gave a loud snort.

-----

Jin could not care less if the courtesan in front of him had wits or not, as he was eager to satisfy his own needs. And he was not one to refuse when a woman blindly throws herself at him. He would use her, he thought, since she was no different from the others that he had bedded. They were after the same thing, and he could hardly blame himself if he also wanted only one thing from them.

As he was about to pounce, he heard an uncharacteristic snort, one which was obviously a result of having witnessed the whole exchange. In a snap, Jin's interest in Mei withered, suddenly curious from where - whom - the sound came from.

Trying his best to be still well-mannered, Jin leaned back, trying to pry away greedy hands from him, hoping to see who the culprit was. The continuous attempts of Mei to latch onto him were taking its toll, and he was sorely tempted to just leave her in a heap and chase whoever gave that rather uncouth snort.

_Drat! _Xiaoyu instantly drew back and froze when she saw the young man stop his movements, abruptly leaning back to see if there was any presence in the dark hallway. She had been most willing to wait in the corner and be petrified until he decided to get up and take a look outside for himself. Huddled tightly, she overheard Mei calling out to him. _Jin._ That was his name.

She was about to give a sigh of relief at the sight of his retreating form when something made a slight brush on her feet. Unable to contain herself, Xiaoyu gave a short but loud shriek, believing it to have been a mouse. She was not usually one to give into hysterics, but the situation had somewhat tightened her nerves like a bowstring. Besides, the problem of mice was something even a most opulent establishment like the Peony Pavilion had to constantly deal with.

Jin had stopped in his tracks as soon as he heard a small scream. Taking a few strides, he quickly approached the small figure he saw hunched in a corner. Before he could grill the helpless girl for eavesdropping and delaying his "appetite," she squeaked and scuttled off like a little mouse. Needless to say, he was quite dumbfounded.

No, the Peony Pavilion was certainly cleared of mice and other pests. After all, its richest customer paid heftily and he deserved no less than the best. It would be an understatement to say that Xiaoyu was annoyed with herself, for who could be so uncivilized as to eavesdrop, and then cowardly scamper off like a little critter? Had she paid any more attention, she would have figured out that the brush of a mouse's tail on her feet had simply been a ribbon caught loosely at the hem of her robe.

----

_Over the course of a year, I have developed a habit of nitpicking. I have to beg for your patience. I'm going over what I've written repeatedly, searching for gaps and trying my best to seal them. As a result, things get a little more complicated, and the pace slows down._

_Thank you for the readership and the genuine and generous reviews. The knowledge of people appreciating what you do is undoubtedly inspiring and humbling. I'm every bit compelled to turn this story into an enjoyable one._

_And now for the obligatory disclaimer: Jin Kazama and Ling Xiaoyu belong to Namco. _


	3. The Punished Courtesan

**Chapter 3: The Punished Courtesan**

"Oh, dear Xiao! You should have seen him! Mr. Kazama is so handsome!" Pei-pei gushed as she burst inside her friend's room.

_Of that I'm equally certain_, Xiaoyu thought dryly. He caught her attention alright, but she was not exactly sure why Pei-pei was ready to swoon at the mere thought of the Pavilion's latest patron. Maybe he was comparatively handsome because of his youth, and they really have not had such customers since... Who knows when? Was he really THAT handsome? But then again, her friend was the better judge since she had only seen him from a distance and in the dark, not to mention, in brief. "He doesn't seem so bad," she mumbled to herself.

It did not take long for her put the pieces of the puzzle together. With so many clamors being created, Xiaoyu did not have to ask who Mr. Kazama was, where he came from, and what he did for a living. She even learned that Mei would not take a bite of food and was drowning herself in tears as Mr. Jin Kazama barely remembered her name or the flowery promises he had made to her the previous night. He changed interest as if he merely took a change of shirt.

"Mei was utterly enamored by him," Pei-pei animatedly narrated, "She was throwing herself at him practically all night! Of course we all wanted to drag her claws out of him, but who could blame her?! He's quite vicious and dangerous, in an exciting sort of way."

"Tell me about it," Xiaoyu muttered. She had naively expected the visit to last only one night, but felt dismayed when she learned that he would be not be leaving anytime soon. This meant more gushing, hair-pulling, and throttling for virtually each and every Pavilion girl wishing to be Mrs. Kazama, or not quite Mrs. Kazama; a royal rumble she did not wish to be caught in the middle of. _He's just another man,_ she thought. _He will keep you and enjoy you. But that doesn't mean you're going to be his last, and he would eventually tire of you._

-----

Madam Yi was dubbed as the "Dragon Lady" of the Peony Pavilion. She had been a courtesan herself, and happened to be the most popular during her time. Many would even argue that she was the best courtesan the establishment ever had. Under her supervision, the Pavilion had turned into something comparable to a military camp, as girls received stringent training in manners and social graces, culture and the arts. The Spartan system she introduced was undoubtedly a success, as Peony Pavilion courtesans became widely sought, highly prized, and respected.

A scrupulous woman by nature, nothing escapes Madam Yi's observation. While remotely tolerant of the Pavilion girls' frolicking ways ("playfulness" was considered necessary to enchant men), she never failed to discipline them as soon as she noticed a sign of wavering and lackadaisical performance. After all, she painstakingly taught her charges to avoid mistakes at all costs; and complacency was something paid dearly for.

"Peony Pavilion women are artists, professionals of the highest level," she would always say.

Walking like an empress, Madam Yi went about her regular routine of inspecting every nook and cranny of the Pavilion for some sign of defect. She had been scrutinizing a slightly whitewashed wall in the halls when she noticed one of the wards in haste, a package in hand. She approached the young girl and asked, "What is that and where are you taking it?"

Jen, Xiaoyu's most trusted apprentice, tried to hide her apprehension. While fulfilling her senior's request was not at all a big matter to her, it was for other people such as Madame Yi. If the mistress of the establishment ever learned that her most prized courtesan was drowning herself in books on science and astronomy, history, philosophy, and mathematics, she would surely have a fit. One of the first things taught to them was that a woman's intelligence could only go so far, and that she should confine herself to the mastery of culture and arts. It was, according to instruction, horribly unattractive and distasteful to dabble on other affairs. A woman was meant to be seen, not to be heard.

Not wanting to arouse more suspicion, Jen steeled herself and replied, "Oh, this? Ah, yes, this. Erm, stacks of paper and works, Madam. Miss Xiaoyu requested me to buy them while she was in confinement. She says that her impulsiveness will be the end of her, and not being able to partake in the Pavilion's recent parties has motivated her to train harder in the arts. She says that when you finally decide to lift her punishment, you would be most pleased to know the improvements she has gained in poetry-writing."

"Did she really say such things, kid?" asked Madam Yi warily. Such conceding words coming from a rebellious and perpetually mulish imp like Xiaoyu, though, was like saying one actually witnessed a crow's feathers turn white.

The young ward nodded furiously, and proceeded to fumble with the package. "I most certainly heard them straight from her, Madam Yi. If you would like, I would show these to you—"

"Oh, never mind, there is no reason to do that. Be quick about it, carry on." Madame Yi waved a hand of dismissal, and then promptly continued her walk.

Jen let out a sigh of relief. For a moment she had thought that Madame Yi would actually look through Xiaoyu's purchases. "Oh Miss Xiaoyu, you most definitely owe me a hefty some of pocket money and a basket of sweets," she muttered. She then walked in a quick pace, barely noticing a man leaning casually against the wall.

Jin had been exploring the Pavilion grounds and trying to find his way to the peach gardens when he accidentally heard Madame Yi and a young ward talking. He had heard them speak of a certain courtesan who, from what he had heard, was being punished and kept away from joining gatherings. "Xiaoyu?" Jin asked himself absently, turning away from the wall. With arms folded across his chest, he watched as the ward hurried off to her mistress.

-----

"Goodness Jen! What took you so long?"

The young apprentice handed the small pile of books and sank to the polished floor. "Miss, you shouldn't ask…but who could possibly stop you?"

"How much do I owe you?" Xiaoyu asked, scavenging for some coins inside her purse.

"A million," Jen mockingly answered. "Madame Yi almost found out! I had to slither my way out of her questioning by inventing some silly little story, which I do not think she believed a word of. Oh Miss, you mustn't really test Madam's temper, or her observation. You're exhausting your chances for outside activity."

"I know, I know. I'm terribly sorry for making you put up with this. But I have full trust in you. By the way, did you get to see Lei?"

The mention of "Lei" made Jen forget all about her worries. Lei was around the same age as she was, a son of the owner of a popular restaurant in town. They had met unexpectedly when Xiaoyu sent her to buy some candy and cakes at the sweet shop. Jen never really enjoyed being ordered around mercilessly, but her mistress was considerate and afforded her every opportunity to meet up with the young lad. "Yes, I did," she replied, her cheeks instantly flaring into crimson.

Unlike the others, Xiaoyu treated her apprentice with kindness and sisterly affection. To her, Jen was family, and not just some dispensable runner. She encouraged Jen and gave her the freedom to express herself. While it would have seemed, at the moment, like she was buoying a doomed love affair and sowing seeds of rebellion, Xiaoyu sincerely wanted her apprentice to experience the things she never did. She never knew what it was to have puppy love. Nobody approached her with pure honesty for something such as that. She once told a fretful Jen that love and its related feelings will bring both happiness and sadness, but rarely regret.

Setting her new books aside, Xiaoyu clapped her hands and smiled at her lovesick apprentice. "Well then, tell me all about it."

Later that afternoon, Madam Yi decided to pay Xiaoyu a visit. Nothing short of a surprise, Xiaoyu recklessly hid her books, covering them in piles of silk patterns. When the older woman entered the room, she bit her lip into a hyphen, hiding her displeasure at how poorly it was kept. "Has chastisement bore you to death that you had to turn your living quarters upside down, hm?" Madam Yi asked, arching a brow.

Xiaoyu gave a plastered smile. "Well Madam, I was actually in the process of reorganization. I never truly realized I had so much clothing and effects!" _I'll be damned before you burn these books. _Before the older woman could speak, she quickly asked, "What brings Madam here?"

Giving a disbelieving look, Madam Yi replied, "I happened to talk with your apprentice this afternoon. She tells me that you have been occupying yourself with poetry?"

_Oh, good one, Jen. Now she'll ask me to recite a poem. My poem! _Xiaoyu thought sarcastically. It was not far from happening at all. "Yes. Solitude offers one the luxury of spending time with one's own thoughts. And they do say writing poetry is the best cure for insanity –"

She was about to continue her elaborate oration when Madam Yi abruptly announced, "Summon your ward. You are going to entertain a very important guest tonight."

-----

_Will Jin and Xiaoyu meet face to face in the next chapter? The answer is yes, definitely yes, but exactly how is something I encourage you to find out. Until then, teetering would be the best course of action not just for all of you, but for me as well._

_I don't Jin or Xiaoyu. How I badly wish I did. _


End file.
